Results 441-460 of 19,925 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you Deputy for your question. My Department is working with communities all over Ireland to source and provide accommodation for people applying for international protection and emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country. This is part of Irish and EU law and is also part of our humanitarian duty to provide shelter to people fleeing war and persecution in their...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Child Safety (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: There are robust legislative, policy and practice measures in place to promote the safeguarding of children in Ireland. The Children First Act 2015 provides for number of key child protection measures. Under the Act, mandated persons, who are professionals working with children across a wide range of sectors including education, health, justice, youth and childcare, are legally required...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you, Deputy, for your question. As you will be aware, my Department has been working with communities all over Ireland to source and provide accommodation for people applying for international protection, and emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country. This is part of Irish and EU law and is also part of our humanitarian duty to provide shelter to people fleeing...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes made significant findings in relation to the failings of the State and religious organisations, who together ran Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. The Government believes that all relevant parties have a collective responsibility to respond to Ireland's legacy in relation to these institutions. The State has accepted its...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Thanks for your question, Deputy. Ireland currently provides accommodation to over 33,000 people applying for international protection and has also welcomed over 114,000 people from Ukraine since 2022. People from Ukraine are supported across the EU under the Temporary Protection Directive. The basis of applying for asylum or refugee status is fleeing war or persecution in one’s...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I am advised by Tusla that, as of 25th April 2025 there are 15 young people in Special Care and that there are 3 young people who are currently the subject of a Special Care Order, in accordance with the Child Care Act 1991, who are not in special care owing to the absence of an available bed in a Special Care Unit. I understand that the Tusla CEO and Executive Management Team continue...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Properties (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that my Department does not own any vacant or derelict properties. In relation to capital funding generally, I can also advise that neither my Department nor Tusla have capital funding to develop the capital infrastructure of Family Resource Centres, including refurbishing vacant or derelict buildings. Tusla does not have a dedicated budget for capital or building...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Pay is one of a number of issues impacting the early learning and care and school-age childcare workforce. The level of pay for early years educators and school-age childcare practitioners does not reflect the value of their work for children, families, society and the economy. As the State is not the employer of staff in the sector, neither I nor my Department can set wage levels or...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: My Department, Pobal, Cork City Childcare Committee, Northside Community Enterprise and other stakeholders continue to work closely to deliver early learning and childcare service in the Churchfield site, formally occupied by Before 5. My Department approved funding for the revival of this service in October 2024 and I am informed that work has commenced on the early stages of this...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you Deputy for your question. My Department is working with communities all over Ireland to source and provide accommodation for people applying for international protection and emergency centres have been opened in all parts of the country. This is part of Irish and EU law and is also part of our humanitarian duty to provide shelter to people fleeing war and persecution in their home...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Commissions of Investigation (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The Commission of Investigation (Certain matters relative to a disability service in the South East and related matters) (“the Farrelly Commission”) is an independent statutory Commission of Investigation, empowered to investigate matters of significant public concern. The Commission was established on 21 March 2017. Under the Commission’s Terms of Reference, the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Emergency Accommodation (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: This is a matter for my cabinet colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Supporting all households experiencing homelessness, including families with children, remains a priority. The Department of Housing is working closely with local authorities and their service delivery partners to support households to exit homelessness to a tenancy, tenancies in local...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Improving access to quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School Age Childcare is a key priority of Government. Early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. An annual sector profile demonstrates a 10% increase in enrolments between 2022/23 and 2023/24, building on an 8% increase the previous year. The Tusla register of services demonstrates a net increase in the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The Government recognises that Children reported Missing from Care are recognised as being some of the most vulnerable in society. Children missing from care fall under two categories, children who go missing from mainstream services for children in the care of Tusla, and those children who are Separated Children seeking International Protection (SCSIP) Services, though children in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you for your question, Deputy. Ireland currently provides accommodation to over 33,000 people applying for international protection and has also welcomed over 114,000 people from Ukraine since 2022. Our accommodation systems have been forced to expand at a rapid pace over the last two years in response to a sharp increase in need among both groups. The over 114,000 people who...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Properties (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: I can advise that this Department does not have any vacant or derelict building.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Services (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2024 – 2028 aims to provide a more strategic, data-driven, and joined-up approach to the delivery of youth work and related services in Ireland. Since its publication in September 2024, work has been underway on implementing a number of actions for which the Department is the lead, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Children in Care (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: As this relates to information held by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, the question has been forwarded to the Agency for direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: Thank you for your question, Deputy. Providing reception conditions – accommodation and other basic supports – to people seeking international protection is part of Irish and EU law and is also part of our humanitarian duty to provide shelter to people fleeing war and persecution in their home country. The State is currently accommodating over 33,000 people in over 320...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Commissions of Investigation (29 Apr 2025)

Norma Foley: The third and final substantive report of the Commission of Investigation was published on 15 April 2025 along with the Commissions statement concerning Part X of its Terms of Reference. The Commission’s statement on Part X conclusions indicates that there is an absence of information in the possession of the Commission identifying issues for further investigation with respect to...